Compression tool



Aug. 28, 1951 R. TEMPLE COMPRESSION TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 17, 1947 Zsnventor Poss/e7- 772MPL m 1 l MM 1115a ttornegs 65 uzum Aug. 28, 1951 R. TEMPLE COMPRESSION TOOL 2 sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 1'7, 1947 3nnentor Vvvvv 01020310:

ROBE/27- 7Z-MPLE (15%;: ,(aprcafl w v 07mm Patented Aug. 28, 1951 Velocity Equipment; Inc.;Wilrriington', Del; a

corporation of Delaware Alienate Ap'r'ii 1a, 1947., salute. iiiii '5 claims. (01. rib-Ira) This. v h id was. eme f eej efitee end, i ti l rl 't el f i b ndin o ether adjoining ends or elongate members by come m a ev' 'ebeutthem-,, r.

Although this tool may be employed effectively for other w e t eei eele n iell er enii: ing or joining togetherends of .electric cables d e like, e f ed -er..t e In he pa t. th sometimes has been accomplished by inserting the free ends of the elongate members in a coupling sleeve resting on a stationary die or anvil, and then compressing the sleeve around those members by the powerful impact of a driven die or hammer. A disadvantage in such a system is that the movabledie, operating'on only one side of the sleeve, deforms it s'orapidly from that side that a permanent bend or whipj isformed in the assembly atthe sleeve. Furthermore, prior tools, although developing considerable pressure by explosively driving the movable die, are. not constructed in such a way as to utilize the drive to its fulleXtent. w n U U H 11; is among t objects or this invention to P o de a o pression tool which is small and convenient to use ,c onfined spaces, which, can quickly engage or release the work, which exerts equal force simultaneously in opposite directions against opposite sides of the work, which utilizes levers to increase the actuating pressure, an d which is suitable for actuation byexpanding gases resulting from a confined explosion. V

In accordance with this invention, a pair of opposed levers are placed side by side, with their adjacent ends spaced apart but adapted to be swung toward and away from each other. A pair of dies are disposed between the front ends of the levers, and a spreading member such ,as a wedge, is adapted to be driven between the rear ends of the levers to swing the levers on their pivots so as to force the dies toward each other, whereby they will compress whateverwork may be disposed between them. The wedge prefer ably is advanced manually as far as possible first, and then it is driven the rest of the way by other means; most suitably by the pressure of expanding gases resulting from the explosion of a cartridge behind the wedge. V

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Fig. 1 is a top or rear view of the tool; Fig. 2 is a side view; Fig. 3 is an end view; and Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 1, showing the dies in initial engagement with the work. 7

Referring to the drawings, the frameof the'tool has an upp'enheavybody portion 1' noifitvmen abifurca'ted lower Portion extends qown waraiy e er wrr i l s d re d bw e re as le i e t'ee e e ra s d with a pair of rectangularopenings' 3 in which the ends of a pair of cooperating dies l, that err-Z by a centralvertic'al slot 6 ,v'vitl'rthe"outside of the frame. Whl'i the dies are aced apart; e118- shot/11m Fig. 2; they are located on opposite sides" of these slots so that t e den; can be raised through the slots and placedfbet'ween' the dies or be removed from the frame; I u I in th eeemags, the tenement the dies may tie" provided witfidovetail gifoliu' efs- T into which cor-I- respondingly shapedupp'ehends of this 8 project from the framebeio'w. .The'sel ins' and grooves permit the die'sltolhe slid toward and may fr each other, but prevent'them from slipping lengthwise from the frame. The inner facesdf thedies may b'eproviaed with pooperating areu'ete recesses T9" for receiving afcylindrical sleeve H; rate the opposite ends of which the ends of a pair of cables l2 and 13 extend.

N In order to rometn diesftoward each other,

a pair of upn'gm ever's 5 are iseases side by side "in the space etween s de mates :2; The" levers are oscillate. y mounted on parallel pivot pins 16' eitending thro gh the side pares above the dies. The lowerjehds ime avers engage the outer rates oflth'e dies, preferab y through the me ium or thick eirc iergbearmg discs [1' rockably matured in ey'iinar e'ai recess in the evers. 'rmese discs project from the levers an ave flat surfaces 'thatbearfiat' against the... e

. there al ays s joining sides or the dies s16 it the same h ater eefitae tetweec he levers a a dies. The inner surfaces of, the p'per ends of 1F 3 l'eversi dive ge ,upwarui Projecting from these diverging surfaces are ier 'eereekame bearing discs as dis erse in,.e 1 1aefie tend across the frame, areslidably The bottom of each ofthese openings is connected" a1 recesses in the ppe nd. portion.-

to push the wedge farther down between the upper ends of the levers. as shown in Fig. 4. This causes the levers to rock on their pivots and to thereby push the dies firmly against opposite sides of the sleeve to hold it in proper position. After this preliminary operation the wedge is driven with great force down between the levers to spread their upper ends farther apart and simultaneously to force their lower ends against the dies, with the result that the sleeve will be compressed tightly on the adjoining ends of the cables. When the levers swing, the bearing discs ll and [8 turn in the ends of the levers.

Although the wedge may be driven in various ways, it is preferred to drive it by means of expanded gases caused by the discharge of an explosive cartridge above the wedge, as it has been found that an explosively driven wedge will develop tremendous power. Accordingly, integral with the upper end of barrel 2| is a cylindrical block 23 through which a central vertical passage or chamber 24 extends. This chamber is adapted to receive an explosive cartridge 26 that is shorter than the chamber so that the lower end of the cartridge is spaced a short distance from the wedge to provide a space in which gas pressure can be built up behind the wedge when the cartridge is discharged. For detonating the cartridge and looking it in chamber block 23, a breech block 21 is screwed onto the chamber block, and a firing pin 28 is slidably mounted in the center of the breech block. The enlarged head of the firing pin projects from a nut 29 screwed into the breech block and is adapted to be hit by a hammer to drive the pin against the usual percussion cap at the upper end of the cartridge. The breech block is then unscrewed 'from the chamber block to permit the spent cartridge to be removed and a new cartridge to be placed in chamber 24. The upper end of the breech block is provided with a recess 30 in which the head of the firing pin is located so that it will be protected from accidental knocking against an object.

The pressure that the levers exert against the dies depends not only upon the force of the explosion above the wedge, but also upon the position of pivot pins 16 in the levers. The farther down in the levers that these pins are located, the greater is the pressure that the levers will exert against the dies. Therefore, this tool can be constructed for multiplying by means of levers the force of the explosion in any way desired.

After the tool has been used, barrel 2| is unscrewed a few turns in the frame to permit the wedge to be retracted so that the dies can be spread apart far enough to allow the compressed sleeve to be removed from between them. As the barrel is screwed upwardly in the frame, the wedge may be caused to follow it by means of a spring pressing against the lower end of the wedge. Thus a rather strong spring 32 may be housed in a tube 33 supported by a bar 34 rigidly connected to the side plates of the frame between the levers near the dies. The upper end of this spring constantly presses upwardly against the wedge.

The levers not only help this tool to exert tremendous pressure on the sleeve between the dies, but they also apply that pressure simultaneously from opposite directions. Consequently, the sleeve is compressed from opposite sides at the same time, thereby avoiding whip.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and coni struction of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A compression tool comprising a pair of opposed levers disposed side by side with their adjacent ends spaced apart, means pivotally supporting the levers for movement of their adjacent ends toward and away from each other, a pair of dies between two of said ends, a wedge adapted to be driven between the other two ends of the levers to swing the levers on their pivots and thereby force said dies toward each other, and bearing members rockably mounted in the ends of the levers and having flat surfaces slidably engaging the wedge and the dies.

2. A tool for compressing a sleeve onto the adjoining ends of elongate members, said tool comprising a frame having a body portion from which spaced parallel side plates project forward, a pair of opposed levers disposed side by side between said plates with their adjacent front and rear ends spaced apart, means pivotally connecting the levers to said plates on parallel axes, said plates being provided with openings therethrough near their front ends, a pair of dies slidably mounted in said plate openings between the front ends of said levers, said plates being provided with slots connecting the front end of the frame with the center of said openings, a wedge slidably mounted in said body portion and having its front end extending between the rear ends of the levers, a barrel screwed into said body portion for receiving the rear end of the wedge, said barrel being provided with a cartridge-receiving chamber behind the wedge, and a firing pin supported from the rear end of the barrel ifor detonating a cartridge in said chamber to drive the wedge forward between the rear ends of the levers, whereby said dies will compress said sleeve about said elongate members.

3. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of opposed levers disposed side by side with their adjacent ends spaced apart, means pivotally connectin the levers to the frame on parallel axes, a pair of dies movably mounted in the frame between the front ends of the levers, a wedge slidably mounted in the frame and adapted to be driven between the rear ends of the levers to swing the levers on said pivot means and thereby force said dies toward each other, and bearing members rockably mounted in the front ends of the levers and having fiat surfaces engaging the dies.

4. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of opposed levers disposed side by side with their adjacent ends spaced apart, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, a pair of dies movably mounted in the frame between the front ends of the levers, a wedge slidably mounted in the frame and adapted to be driven between the rear ends of the levers to Swing the levers on said pivot means and thereby force said dies toward each other, and bearing members rockably mounted in the rear ends of the levers and having flat surfaces slidably engaging the wedge.

5. A compression tool comprising a pair of opposed levers disposed side by side with their adjacent ends spaced apart, means pivotally supporting the levers for movement of their adjaa 8 6 centfends toward and away from each other, a UNITED STATES PATENTS pair'of dies between two of said ends, a wedge 1 adapted to be driven between the other two ends ggi gzg i fi of the levers to swing the levers on their pivots 364.090 Clayton Mayal 1887 and thereby force said dies toward each other, 5 P bearing members rockably mounted in the ends 2333m n of the levers and having flat surfaces slidably 1733'881 mingworgh' 5 1929 engaging the wedge and the dies, and means 1871321 Hayford g 1932 behind the wedge adapted to receive an explosive 2167452 Hanset Ju1yv'25' 1939 charge for driving the wedge between said lever 10 2202125 Temple j 1940 ends.

7 ROBERT TEMPLE 2.429,169 Pearson Oct. 14, 1941 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the 15 file of this patent: 

